British Royal Family Celebrates Trooping The Colours 2025

Trooping the Colour is one of the highlights of the British royal family's annual calendar. It is also known as the Sovereign's Birthday Parade, a royal tradition dating back to the 18th century (1748) marking the official birthday celebration of the reigning British monarch. It is a spectacular military parade complete with pomp and pageantry, annually attended by thousands of spectators.

From left: The Duchess of Gloucester, The Duke of Gloucester, The Duchess of Edinburgh, The Duke of Kent, and Sir Timothy Laurence

This is the second Trooping the Colours celebration in his reign which King Charles III did not ride a horse as a precaution for his health after undergoing cancer treatment. The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Edinburgh, and The Princess Royal attended the parade on horseback, riding Darby, Sir John, and Noble respectively. They are also wearing the uniforms of the Regiments in which they are Royal Colonels: the Welsh Guards for Prince William, the Scots Guards for Prince Edward, and the Blues and Royals for Princess Anne.

The King and Queen departed from Buckingham Palace in the Ascot Landau carriage and led the procession to Horse Guards Parade. Followed by Catherine with the Waleses' children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, traveling in the second Ascot Landau.

Prince Louis and Prince George

Other members of the Royal family: The Duchess of Edinburgh, Sir Timothy Laurence (husband of Princess Anne), and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, were in a horse-drawn carriage procession. The Duke of Kent did not participate in the procession but joined the royals later on the palace balcony.

The Duchess of Edinburgh and Sir Tim Laurence

The Royal Procession was accompanied by the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and the sounds of the Band of the Household Cavalry, led by two shire drum horses bearing solid silver kettle drums.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh

Catherine and Princess Charlotte

Senior officers taking part in Trooping also wore black arm bands as a mark of respect for the aviation victims, as did the coachmen and women from the Royal Mews, driving carriages carrying members of the royal family or riding on a coach’s lead horse as a postilion.

from left: Prince William, Prince Edward, and Princess Anne

In Horse Guards Parade, a minute’s silence was held after the King inspected the guardsmen on the parade ground. It was signaled by a bugler sounding the Last Post and ended with the Reveille. As the Sovereign wears the uniform of whichever Regiment’s Colour is being trooped, the King, Colonel in Chief of the Household Division, wore the Uniform of the Coldstream Guards. In addition, and at the request of His Majesty, members of the Royal Family taking part in the parade wore black armbands as a mark of respect following the Air India incident in Ahmedabad this week.